US strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island ahead of midterm elections
The United States has struck Iran’s Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials speaking to CBS. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported several explosions on the island Monday. The strikes were limited and came in response to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard firing upon US aircraft, the officials said. The BBC has contacted US Central Command for comment.
The action comes just ahead of US midterm elections that will decide control of Congress. President Trump faces falling poll numbers and party pressure to end the war that began when the US and Israel attacked Iran in February. Asked by reporters Monday about ramping up strikes, Trump said he was in “no rush”. He told Axios: “One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush. We crippled them financially.”
Trump also told Fox News the US might need to go after Pickaxe, a site linked to Iran’s nuclear programme, calling it “not a big deal” that could be done in “one hour”. Speculation has grown that significant strikes could resume after the midterms, but Trump denied that. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told IRNA that “very intensive” talks with the US via mediators are under way “more than ever before”. He said Tehran is prepared for diplomatic and military scenarios, and it’s up to Washington to choose the “wise path” of negotiation or the “mistake of military aggression”.
